personal/social/political philosophy & opinion–sometimes in poetry
Some years ago I was active on a Tolkien-based site that featured writing and poetry contests. This was a dialogue-writing competition with set parameters: Characters: an elf and a dwarfSetting: outside Doors of MoriaTheme: Speak, Friend, and EnterI gave myself the added challenge of using the dialogue alone to show the scene and the action. …
Continue reading “Tolkien Tribute: Speak, Friend, and Enter”
Two persons met on a narrow trail, one short, one tall, and neither frail.The wizard flourished his magic staff–“Now, let me by and don’t be daft!”The hobbit stood firm, he was no fool–and that was the start of their magic duel. I bend my back to look up at you, in your great tall hat …
Beren and Luthien were a mortal Man and the daughter of an undying Elf and a Maia. They were bound together by love, and together, they fought the great Evil of Middle-earth, and won, though at great cost. Finally, Luthien, also called by Beren, Tinuviel–the Nightingale–chose to remain with him and live a mortal life. …
Money is a battery for storing the energies produced by human work. It’s a transformer, too, changing human work into stuff. When the potter trades pottery for the farmer’s grain, it is a device for equalizing any difference in the relative values for the goods generated by the work. In itself, it has no value, …
These next two poems are pantoums, a minstrel’s form, intended to be sung and designed to be remembered. It is a form most suited to Hobbits, who, according to Tolkien, enjoy playing with words and forms in their poetry. THE GUEST OF HONOR Old Bilbo Baggins is eleventy-one!For a hobbit, indeed a respectible age.Though he loves …
Continue reading “Tolkien Tribute in honor of Frodo’s & Bilbo’s Birthday!”
I dreamed the most marvelous thing! An oak cabinet, about the size of a dining room credenza, opening up wide to a scene of such perfect and intricate detail, like the very finest miniature house, but with mechanical and electrical devices that worked, and the perfectly sculpted tiny people in it. Each cabinet was built …
Dark, dark the rich earth where our roots sink deep.Gloomy, the air where we reach towards the sky.Long, long the years we have stood here asleep;Diminished, our peace as the ages passed by.But now we awaken to realize the creepof tendrils of smoke, drifting bitter and dry:Our borders are breached and our enemies walkUnder the …
Wandering—driftingcarelesslyflickering quietlya fragment of my soulin peaceable night,eternal playground of gods and planets, stars and dust and dreams…Hearkening—to a thread of a tonea music simpleand profoundand not entirelyunknown… Wondering—Shall I follow?Cast my curiosityupon the solar windstack this way and thatuntil I come to find the instrument,the player of this theme? Or–wander on embracing quietude and …
The Courting of Goldberry There–! Among the reeds I see you! Part of the River, part of the land… I hear your laughter and your singing… I offer you my strong brown hand: Come with me. fair Lady springing from the heart of the River– Come live on the land! Come sing with me, and …
Continue reading “another Tolkien Tribute: The Courting of Goldberry”
I played the game, took my side of the net and playedthe best I couldthe best I knewlobbed ball after ballgood shots, all…good volleys, you could hear my laughter, I could hear your smile…even when the ball did not return. And still I playedand played… I served at lastthe last ball that I hadand waited…listened …
LOOSELY SPEAKING...